Photo Credit: Jesse A. Wellen Learning how to ice fish isn’t as difficult as you might think. It is a simple, fun sport. Those of us far north of the Mason-Dixon line see the mercury in our thermometers drop and take the opportunity to bundle up and hit the ice. Here are some tips and a gear list of ice fishing equipment to help enhance your next ice fishing trip. Ice Thickness: Before you go…

The average subscriber to Bass Angler Magazine has about 26 fishing rods. Pennsylvania angler, Joe Stefanacci, estimates he has over 40. Nebraska angler Jared Schleifer only has 7 that he considers “active.” You could play a round of golf with just a 4-iron. It wouldn’t affect my score much, but once you gain experience and learn when, why, and how to use the full range of clubs for the unique challenge at each hole, a…

When fishing clear-water small streams and wading along the shore, anglers pay close attention to the location of riffles, pools, and especially, “holes” and how fish relate to these visible features. However when fishing in a boat on large, possibly murky water, it all looks the same. That’s why most anglers cast along the shoreline. This is a target they can see. Electronic “fish-finders” help anglers locate features in a seemingly featureless body of water.…

I don’t know if he fishes but last week, I followed the approximate path of Lebron James’ moving truck and drove 1066 miles to attend ICAST in Orlando, Florida. It is the “world’s largest sport fishing trade show.” The 11,000 plus attendees were “industry only,” so I felt fortunate to peek at some of the new, innovative recreational fishing products that will start appearing in stores. There was some overlap from companies that exhibited at…

Fish behavior and activity is related greatly to water temperature. In general, fish are less active in cold water. As the temperature increases through the day or season, fish spend more time actively feeding. For example, largemouth bass may be inactive on cool mornings but more energetic in areas when the sun begins warming dark rocks or submerged logs. There is a limit, though. Too hot can lead to conditions with less oxygen and can…

We are finally slowly coming out of a brutal winter. By some estimates there are still 15 inches of ice on some of the lakes in Pennsylvania. In fact, Pennsylvania’s Mentored Youth Fishing Days of March 22 and April 5th, have been rescheduled to May 10th to allow for the thaw. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some fishing that involves casting. The recent slightly warmer temperatures have opened more water on…

Once you have started to ice fish the mystery of the search and the thrill of the catch tends to get in your blood. Yet to catch more fish you need a little more knowledge of what is going on below the ice. Here are a few ice fishing tips I recommend: Get a map of the lake: A quick method to learn what the fish are doing is pick a local lake that you…

There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. Or in this case, a circular hole in the ice. Winter’s fish portal. An abandoned hole in the ice might be obscured with blowing snow and refrozen partially, so look closely and watch your step. Sometimes, you might even discover a hole that still has open water. Often holes are drilled with a gas powered auger or chainsaw. If done in shallow water, this noise will spook…

Chances are pretty good that if you’ve started to read this blog post, you’re one of the many sportsmen or sportswomen who love being outdoors year-round… even if the winter elements mean that more preparation time is involved. While you may already be familiar with the basics of ice fishing safety, there are a few additional cold weather tips that can be applied when making a trip out to the shanty or ice fishing hole.…

Although Wisconsin is often referred to as “America’s Dairyland,” the winter fishing opportunities found in this Midwestern state shouldn’t be overshadowed by the amount of cheese curds it produces. According to the University of Wisconsin’s Water Library, Wisconsin has more than 15,000 lakes and 13,500 miles of navigable streams and rivers. That means plenty of places to go fishing… even in the middle of January. Ice fishing may not be for everyone since it can…